(S04E05) "I dunno. I just like watching things explode." - Larry
For a show that most folks (I include myself now) often refer to as just another cop show, Numb3rs can sure as hell be confusing sometimes. It's almost as if the writers are trying to one-up each other by making every episode more intricate than the last one. It's a good thing I watched this early this morning though. Had I sat down and put it on last night, I don't think I could have kept up with all the twists and turns.
Bank robberies, South African gold coins, arsonists who have been paid off to admit to their crimes, thieves who give to charity (hence the title). It was just layer after layer. The unfortunate thing about that, and it's ironic because I've argued for it in the past, is that it makes the show too hard to follow sometimes. There's a limit for how much thinking I'm willing to do with a Friday night show and this one crossed the line and got a little too ambitious. It wasn't bad, but I caught myself looking at the TV a few times and asking, "Really!?"
Anyway, while it's always been present in seasons past, so far this season definitely seems to be adopting the trend of using some sort of outside help in every episode. Last week it was that religion professor Alex Trowbridge (played by Andrea Roth) and this week Will Patton returned for a fourth time as Lt. Gary Walker. I do like how they're doing this though. It adds a fresh face to the team each week.
As far as personal developments go, Charlie and Amita are progressing nicely. They crossed a big hurdle by making some judgments about their parents and when Charlie would meet Amita's father. I realize that a lot of that stuff is clichéd and cheesy, but it's nice that we're seeing them go through it if only because last season we got no real development from their relationship. So at this point, anything is good.
Megan and Larry seem to be back on track as well. He didn't quite come out and say it, but I think he's going to leave the monastery. He needs less restriction in his life and hopefully that means we'll see more from him and Megan.
Two other thoughts:
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Liz was conspicuously absent again. What exactly dictates whether or not she's in an episode? Is she on the team or not?
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Is it really a tradition at CalSci to throw frozen pumpkins off the roof around Halloween?
This weeks numb3rs: 2000 safe deposit boxes, 740 gold Krugerrands, 2 kilos of heroin, 9 charities
This week's math: Robin Hood
The Prisoner -- An early look
Sesame Street's 40th: Five funniest characters
Sesame Street's 40th: Five biggest controversies
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-27-2007 @ 3:25PM
BigTed said...
In answer to your question, yes, students at the real CalTech have been doing the pumpkin drop since the early '70s. But they make sure there's security tape surrounding the drop zone, and obviously would never allow people to hang out there as they did in this episode.
I think whether or not Liz or other members of the team are in a given episode is a budgetary matter. Some of the actors are only paid to appear in a certain number of episodes per season. (And, frankly, unless she has another "relationship" talk with Don, they don't seem to have much for her to do anyway.)
The idea that in all the years they've known each other, much less been dating, Charlie wouldn't know Amita has a traditional father who wants her to be with someone Indian is patently ridiculous. It's just another in a long string of fake conflicts meant to make their relationship seem more interesting. (What's wrong with just letting a TV couple be happy together once in a while?)
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10-27-2007 @ 6:52PM
Britney said...
Does anyone know the name of the song at the beginning of the episode?
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10-27-2007 @ 6:53PM
Blair M said...
I'm pretty sure the song was "Spring and By Summer Fall" by Blonde Redhead.
As for Charlie not knowing that about Amita's dad, not everybody talks about their family a lot, especially if they have philosophical differences which lead to depressing conversations. People hide that kind of stuff because it's not pretty.
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10-27-2007 @ 6:53PM
Jeff said...
Britney, the song is "Spring And By Summer Fall" by Blonde Redhead. It's on their CD titled "23." I'd been searching most of the day trying to find it myself. Enjoy!
Jeff
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10-27-2007 @ 6:54PM
kristie said...
Hmm. Maybe you're just not smart enough to be able to keep up with the show? I for one enjoy the multiple story threads and complex elements. But it's the only show I watch, so I guess I haven't been dumbed-down by all the other crap on TV.
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10-28-2007 @ 10:32AM
lylesowner said...
Don't be so nasty, kristie. Jonathan never said anything mean about you.
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10-28-2007 @ 10:31AM
Jake said...
Don't be so mean, kristie. Jonathan never said anything bad about you.
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10-28-2007 @ 8:58PM
A Viewer said...
I, for one, enjoy the fact that this show isn't as dumbed down as most other cop shows.
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11-14-2007 @ 6:25AM
Thogek said...
BigTed said:
"...yes, students at the real CalTech have been doing the pumpkin drop since the early '70s. But they make sure there's security tape surrounding the drop zone, and obviously would never allow people to hang out there as they did in this episode."
They also do the drops late at night, when not only is foot-traffic much reduced, but as many eager watchers hope to see the "blue flash" that sometimes appears when a liquid-nitrogen-frozen pumpkin explodes onto the concrete.
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11-22-2007 @ 2:01AM
mark said...
why cant they use real south africans i wish they would realize that south africans dont speak like that guy it sounds terrible .
why cant they use great south african actors like cliff simon ,i dont understand
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12-24-2007 @ 9:51AM
eli said...
i like the different layers in the show. and, like someone else said, i like that it's not dumbed down like most other cop shows. they actually seem professional about what they're doing. like in the csi shows, it seems too casual. like they'll just walk into a building like "oh, well idk someone might be here to jump out and shoot me, but who cares. ooo look at this piece of evidence over here...why don't i just go touch it without my gloves..."
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